Patentable/Patents/US-9639448
US-9639448

Multi-version systems for zero downtime upgrades

PublishedMay 2, 2017
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

An upgrade procedure for an application system without downtime is presented. The upgrade procedure includes a mix of a rolling upgrade of application servers, shadow systems, and record and replay mechanisms that employ transformation and locking, for the upgrade of the applications on the application system. Application servers are upgraded one after another. A target version of the system is simultaneously added to the original system and a shadow, or target, system. Data changes are not only carried out in the original system, but are also carried out in the target system, so that a customer realizes no downtime for their data requests to the applications.

Patent Claims
12 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. A method for upgrading an application system without downtime, the application system having a database and a plurality of original application core servers, the method comprising: creating, by one or more processors, a target system in a database, the target system having a persistence; creating, by one or more processors, a set of target application servers in the target system, the set of target application servers keeping a sum of original application core servers and target servers constant; locking, by one or more processors, each of the plurality of original application core servers to prevent configuration changes to the application system; copying, by one or more processors, configuration data and application data associated with one of the plurality of original application core servers to the persistence associated with the target system, the configuration data and application data remaining accessible from the plurality of original application core servers; running, by one or more processors, each of the set of target application servers after the configuration data and application data associated with an associated one of the plurality of original application core servers is copied and transformed to the persistence associated with the target system; and distributing, by one or more processors, new requests to the application system from each of the plurality of original application core servers to one of the target application servers in the target system, the new requests comprising a request for a singleton exclusive to a target application server of the set of target application servers.

Plain English Translation

The invention upgrades an application without downtime. It creates a target system with a persistence layer alongside the existing system. It spins up a set of target application servers while keeping the total number of servers constant. Configuration changes to existing application servers are blocked to ensure consistency. Configuration and application data from an original server is copied and transformed to the target system's persistence layer, remaining accessible during the copy. The new target application servers are started. New incoming requests are routed from original servers to one of the target servers. These new requests are designed for a singleton within each target application server.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising replicating, by one or more processors, write accesses to the one original application core server to the persistence associated with the target application servers.

Plain English Translation

Building upon the zero-downtime upgrade process: A target system with a persistence layer is created alongside the existing system. A set of target application servers is created while keeping the total number of servers constant. Configuration changes to existing application servers are blocked. Configuration and application data from an original server is copied and transformed to the target system's persistence layer, remaining accessible. Target application servers are started, and new requests are routed to them from the original servers for singletons. Write operations (data changes) to the original application server are also replicated to the persistence layer associated with the target application servers, ensuring data consistency between the old and new systems.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 , further comprising shutting down, by one or more processors, the one original application core server while starting and running the first target application server.

Plain English Translation

Building upon the zero-downtime upgrade process with write replication: A target system with a persistence layer is created alongside the existing system. A set of target application servers is created while keeping the total number of servers constant. Configuration changes to existing application servers are blocked. Configuration and application data from an original server is copied and transformed to the target system's persistence layer, remaining accessible. Target application servers are started, with new requests routed to the new servers, and write operations replicated. Once the target application server is running and synced, the original application core server is shut down, further reducing the load on the old system.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 , further comprising deleting, by one or more processors, the one original application core server.

Plain English Translation

Building upon the process of upgrading, replicating writes, and shutting down the original application server: A target system with a persistence layer is created alongside the existing system. A set of target application servers is created while keeping the total number of servers constant. Configuration changes to existing application servers are blocked. Configuration and application data from an original server is copied and transformed to the target system's persistence layer, remaining accessible. Target application servers are started, and write operations replicated, then the original application server is shut down. After the original server is shut down, it is then deleted from the system, completing the server replacement.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising: creating a target system in a database, the target system having a persistence; creating a set of target application servers in the target system, the set of target application servers keeping a sum of original application core servers and target servers constant; locking each of the plurality of original application core servers to prevent configuration changes to the application system; copying configuration data and application data associated with one of the plurality of original application core servers to the persistence associated with the target system, the configuration data and application data remaining accessible from the plurality of original application core servers; running each of the set of target application servers after the configuration data and application data associated with an associated one of the plurality of original application core servers is copied and transformed to the persistence associated with the target system; and distributing new requests to the application system from each of the plurality of original application core servers to one of the target application servers in the target system, the new requests comprising a request for a singleton exclusive to a target application server of the set of target application servers.

Plain English Translation

This is a computer program product for upgrading an application without downtime. The program creates a target system with a persistence layer. It creates target application servers, keeping the sum of original and target servers constant. It locks original servers to prevent configuration changes. Configuration and application data are copied from an original server to the target persistence, remaining accessible during the copy. The target servers are started after their data is copied. New requests are distributed from original servers to target servers, with each request designed for a singleton within a specific target application server.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The non-transitory computer program product in accordance with claim 5 , further comprising replicating, by one or more processors, write accesses to the one original application core server to the persistence associated with the first target application server.

Plain English Translation

Building upon the computer program product for zero-downtime upgrades: A target system with a persistence layer is created, target servers are created keeping the total constant, original servers are locked, configuration data is copied, target servers are started, and new requests are distributed to them. The program also replicates write operations to the original application server's data to the target application server's persistence layer, ensuring data consistency during the upgrade process.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. The non transitory computer program product in accordance with claim 6 , further comprising shutting down, by one or more processors, the one original application core server while starting and running the first target application server.

Plain English Translation

Building upon the computer program product for zero-downtime upgrades with write replication: A target system with a persistence layer is created, target servers are created keeping the total constant, original servers are locked, configuration data is copied, target servers are started, and write operations replicated. The program also shuts down the original application core server after the target application server is running and synced, freeing up resources from the old system.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The non-transitory computer program product in accordance with claim 7 , further comprising deleting, by one or more processors, the one original application core server.

Plain English Translation

Building upon the computer program product that upgrades, replicates writes, and shuts down the original application server: A target system with a persistence layer is created, target servers are created keeping the total constant, original servers are locked, configuration data is copied, target servers are started, write operations are replicated, and then the original application server is shut down. Finally, the original server is deleted.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. A system comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor operably coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising: creating a target system in a database, the target system having a persistence; creating a set of target application servers in the target system, the set of target application servers keeping a sum of original application core servers and target servers constant; locking each of the plurality of original application core servers to prevent configuration changes to the application system; copying configuration data and application data associated with one of the plurality of original application core servers to the persistence associated with the target system, the configuration data and application data remaining accessible from the plurality of original application core servers; running each of the set of target application servers after the configuration data and application data associated with an associated one of the plurality of original application core servers is copied and transformed to the persistence associated with the target system; and distributing new requests to the application system from each of the plurality of original application core servers to one of the target application servers in the target system, the new requests comprising a request for a singleton exclusive to a target application server of the set of target application servers.

Plain English Translation

The invention is a system that performs zero-downtime upgrades. It includes memory and a processor. The processor creates a target system with a persistence layer. It creates target application servers while keeping the total server count constant. It locks original servers to prevent configuration changes. Configuration and application data is copied from an original server to the target persistence, remaining accessible. The target servers are started after their data is copied. New requests are distributed from original servers to target servers, specifically for a singleton on each target server.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise replicating write accesses to the one original application core server to the persistence associated with the first target application server.

Plain English Translation

The zero-downtime upgrade system includes memory and a processor that creates a target system with a persistence layer, creates a set of target servers while keeping the total constant, locks original servers, copies configuration data, starts target servers, and distributes new requests to the new servers. The processor also replicates write accesses to the original server's persistence layer to the first target server's persistence layer.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. The system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise shutting down the one original application core server while starting and running the first target application server.

Plain English Translation

The zero-downtime upgrade system creates a target system, target servers, locks original servers, copies configuration data, starts the target servers, distributes new requests, replicates write operations, and then shuts down the original server once the target server is active and synchronized.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. The system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise deleting the one original application core server.

Plain English Translation

The zero-downtime upgrade system creates a target system, target servers, locks original servers, copies configuration data, starts the target servers, distributes new requests, replicates write operations, shuts down the original server, and finally deletes the original application server.

Classification Codes (CPC)

Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.

Patent Metadata

Filing Date

June 27, 2013

Publication Date

May 2, 2017

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Multi-version systems for zero downtime upgrades